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Bengal

Rs 20K relief for 10L homes damaged due to Amphan: CM

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced Rs 20,000 financial grant to each of the 10 lakh people whose houses have been damaged due to Cyclone Amphan.

She made the announcement while making a detailed assessment of the damage caused by the cyclone with the District Magistrates through video conference and also gave them directions on the measures to be taken for speedy restoration work.

Appreciating the work carried out by the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Corporation (WBSEDCL), Banerjee said power supply in almost 90 per cent of the places has been restored. In connection with the CESC, she said they have informed that power supply for 32.7 lakh out of its 33 lakh consumers will be restored by Wednesday evening. She urged to ensure the same for remaining 30,000 consumers at the earliest. Banerjee added that 4.5 lakh electrical poles were damaged due to Amphan. Stating that power supply at Pujali and Gobardanga is yet to be restored, Banerjee gave directions to ensure the service at the earliest. She also directed to work even after sunset by engaging generators and if needed to engage more workers by paying extra.

"As per the preliminary assessment, more than 10 lakh houses were damaged. We will be giving Rs 20,000 financial support to each of them. At the same time they will also be getting the benefits of Banglar Abas Yojana scheme," Banerjee said, adding that there will be high tide on the full moon night. So it is important to carry out the task of repairing the existing partly affected embankments so that water does not again seep into the adjacent villages. A package of Rs 100 crore for restoration of damaged tubewells in the affected areas has been sanctioned.

Stating that around 1 lakh betel vines have been damaged, Banerjee said each farmer whose produce has been affected will be getting a grant of Rs 5,000. Crops on 10.5 lakh hectare of agricultural land have also been damaged.

Banerjee set up a state-level task force headed by Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha and top brass of departments including Finance, Public Works Department, Irrigation, Panchayats and Rural Development and Sunderban Affairs for fast execution of the restoration work.

Separate task forces for districts headed by the respective District Magistrates with Superintendents of Police and Zila Parishad's Sabhadhipati as members have also been formed. The state-level task force will be holding daily meetings at 6 pm with all the district level task forces to discuss the progress of the restoration work.

"Saline water has turned large acres of land unfit for cultivation of paddy by using usual seeds. So special seeds that are developed by the research centre of our Agriculture department will be distributed there," said Banerjee and directed her advisor in the agriculture sector Pradip Majumdar to apply to get patent for those seeds. She named the programme as 'Nona Swarna'. Similarly, a special programme named 'Nona Swarna Matsha' — will be taken up for pisciculture in water bodies, the salinity of which has also gone up. Banerjee directed to use uprooted trees for embankment work. She said: "The ration and relief distribution system should not get affected. Odisha has helped us with tarpaulins."

Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay will be visiting North 24-Parganas for three days for supervising the restoration work while additional Chief Secretary Navin Prakash will be overseeing the same in the South 24-Parganas.

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